The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria has sought a cordial and better working relationship in the area of logistics and exchange of experty with the Nigeria Customs Service in the investigation of all types of crimes and fraud in the Country.

The President of the Institute and Chairman of the Council, Dr. Ilayusu Gashinbaki who led a delegation to Customs Headquarters in Abuja, affirmed that the visit is aimed at creating a formidable and sustainable relationship between the two establishments.

“We are here to introduce the institute to the NCS and to also appreciate the good work, Customs has been doing in terms of appreciable and remarkable height in revenue increase. We congratulate you on the huge success.”

“The Institute has been around for a while, but President Muhammad Buhari accented to the bill of CIFCFIN’s Charter on the 23rd of December, 2022. The signing of the law is the singular most important legislation signed in the Criminal Justice space within the past eight years of this administration. It signalled the foundation of Scientific Investigation activities going forward.”

“There are three components of the institute and are; the establishment of the Nigeria College of Forensic and Fraud Investigations, which will be responsible for training, certification, and professional development of law enforcement agencies. Forensic Laboratories will focus on forgery. Digital Forensic Laboratory which also will concentrate on the analysis of the entire cyberspace among others.” He stated.

In response, the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) thanked the President and the Delegation for the timely visit, according to the CGC, the method of detecting crime must be digitalized as most of the crimes are been done digitally.

Col. Hameed Ali also noted that the Nigeria Customs Service has a forensic department and will need more support to build and train the Officers of the Service.

“We have to be part and parcel of your organisation, we have been training most of our Officers with regards to law enforcement from the military Police School, we will also make your college one of our most priorities in terms of training.”

“I will ask our Forensic Unit Head to synergise with you closely henceforth. We need a lot of things in terms of training and direction from you. We will explore whatever we can do to buttress our Unit to raise it to a great level.”He added.

The CG also referred to the arrest of a syndicate that specializes in cloning Customs documents in the Idiroko area of Ogun State, he said, is one of the biggest issues confronting the Service and he is hopeful, the synergy will help fight all kinds of fraud in Customs.

A two-man syndicate that specialises in forging Customs clearing documents has been apprehended in their abode in the Idiroko area of Ogun State.

This was made known to Press Men by the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Acting Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu at the monthly Press Briefing on the 7th of March, 2023 in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to him, a suspect was initially arrested with forged documents of a 2007 Mercedes-Benz along Ajilete-Idiroko road and upon in-depth investigation, the syndicate was arrested with over six hundred (600) pictures of Vehicles domiciled in the Benin Republic awaiting forged clearing process.

“Though the Kingpin is at large, we caught them in the act at their house in Idiroko, they were cloning Customs documents for about 600 Vehicles to be brought into Nigeria. There are lots of evidence and intelligence that will be used against them in Court, I have their remand order till the case will be concluded.”

They smuggle cars through unapproved routes and forge the papers for unsuspecting Nigerians, if you want to buy a Vehicle even those at car mats, take the document to any Customs formation and confirm the authenticity so you don’t fall prey.” Ejibunu advised.

Items recovered from the Suspects include; Fake Customs valuation stamp, Fake Customs Duty Chart Book on vehicles, Fake Customs documents and vehicle registration documents, Four Computer monitors, and three processing units with keyboard and Printer.

Similarly, a physically challenged man and his accomplice were arrested with local charms for assault on the Operatives along Owoyele Igbogila road of Ogun State.

The Suspects who were found with various types of charms smuggled over fifty bags of foreign parboiled rice in a used Mazda car and assaulted the Officers, with the intention to disappear.

“They attacked one of my Officers with a charmed horsewhip, they had the effrontery to attack lawful Officers, despite being physically challenged, he has charms all over his body, and they have been charged to Court.” He said.

Notable among the wares seized in February 2023 for non-compliance with the extant Customs laws include;  5,328 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 9 trailer loads), 1 x 40 ft container said to contain 512 cartons of generators (on detention for false declaration), 1 x 40 ft container said to contain 2,298 cartons of half gasoline engines (on detention for false declaration).

Others are 29,875 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS), 283 cartons of foreign frozen poultry products, 75 kilograms of cannabis sativa, 5 units of foreign-used vehicles, and 1x 40 ft container said to contain charcoal meant for export

All have a  duty paid value of Five Hundred and One Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Five Naira (N501,460,875).

The Unit also prevented revenue loss through under-valuation, under-payments, and wrong classification to the tune of One Hundred and Three Million, Six Hundred and Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety- Seven Naira, Thirty-Two Kobo (N103,604,297.32) by the issuance of demand notices to defaulters.